Claressa Shields, the undefeated world champion boxer and two-time Olympic gold medalist, has broken her silence following a suspension for testing positive for marijuana.
The 29-year-old appeared on Tamron Hall this week to offer her side of the story, explaining how a routine oral mouth swab could have resulted in a positive test after her recent victory in Michigan. She’s maintained that she didn’t smoke but may have had traces of marijuana from contact.
“One, the place reeked of marijuana,” Shields explained, recalling the venue where the fight took place. “Before I got to do the mouth swab, everybody was hugging and kissing me in Flint. … I know some boxers don’t stop and greet the fans, but I’m not one of them. I hugged and kissed everybody back.”
Shields further asserted that while her test may have come back positive, a urine test she later took proved her negative status, affirming her claim of always competing clean. “I’ve always competed clean, and I stand by that,” she said, sharing the negative results. “I take my integrity seriously inside and outside the ring.”
Hall insightfully explained to the audience that while oral swabs can sometimes give false positives from inhaling secondhand smoke, urine tests remain the most reliable method for detecting marijuana use.
Despite the clarification, the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission didn’t hesitate to issue a statement following the positive result, labeling Shields’ conduct as “an immediate threat to the integrity of professional boxing, the public interest, and the welfare and safety of professional athletes.”
Shields, who was visibly upset by the commission’s harsh words, expressed how the accusations hit her deeply.
“When I read that, that’s what kind of hurt my feelings a little bit because I know that I don’t do anything wrong when it comes to boxing, and being a Black woman in the sport already, I have to work 10 times harder to even get equal pay, to even get put on TV, to get respect,” she shared. “I don’t even get to prove my innocence; I’m just already guilty. Everybody’s posting this stuff, saying that I’m a danger to the sport, I’m suspended, I smoke marijuana.”
Despite the public backlash, Shields remained grateful for her supporters and made it clear that she would be back in the ring soon. “I’m not suspended from boxing; I’m suspended [from fighting] in Michigan,” she clarified. Last week (Feb. 2), Shields won her fight against Danielle Perkins.
As the only boxer to have captured every major world title in three weight classes, Shields’ impressive career remains indisputable despite the obstacles that come her way. Take a look at her full interview with Tamron Hall below.
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